Chapter 4 - Beware ofthe Gryffindor Lioness Her Bite is Worse that her Bark

Hermione marched down the halls.

Anyone who saw her jumped out of her way, Hermione was quite known to have a harsh temper. Lately she had been wholly ignoring Ron Weasley who had been one of her best friends for the last five years. He had done something to piss her off during the break, the gossipers whispered that she had cheated on and then dumped him. Nothing was sure yet, perhaps it was the other way around. It seemed only Harry knew and he wasn't telling. Even Ginny Weasley who usually possesed an acute ear for gossip seemed out of the loop.

It was decided that Hermione was very scary once she was angry, she was even quite pissed at Harry Potter so it seemed. The only one brave enough to face her was Ginny.

Right now, however, even Ginny would have been intimidated. Hermione's purposeful stride, wild, uncombed hair and the mad glitter in her eye all warned the student populace that the fifth year Gryffindor prefect was NOT in a good mood. As she stomped down the corridors, people from all the houses were jumping out of her way or turning around completely and running the other way, it didn't matter if they were taking the long way down to potions, as long as they did not have to cross paths with Hermione Granger.

The day hadn't started bad. She had woken up that morning, spending a single moment of pure contented bliss before her entire well-ordered world crashed down upon her.

Again.

Everything just went downhill from there.

She checked the clock and realized how late it was; she spared a moment to curse at the fact that she could have no regular alarm clock here at Hogwarts. As it turns out, she should not have spared that moment because lavender had not only got into the shower before Hermione did, but when the girl got out nearly an HOUR later, she had apparently used up all the hot water.

Breakfast was okay but she stubbed her toe on the table and one of the clumsier first years had very nearly spilled pumpkin juice all over her. She had yelled at him so loud, the entire great hall shook. They had double potions first and Snape was in a particularly bad mood, and had taken away thirty of Gryffindor's house points.

By lunch period, Hermione was about ready to hex the first person to cross her. Unfortunately the next person was the last person she wanted to talk to today, however he was also the one person that she desperately needed to talk to today.

"Hello there, Granger, wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?"

The elegant, unhurried drawl could only belong to one person.

"Malfoy." Hermione hissed.

Draco malfoy arched a single eyebrow from the ferocity of her reply.

"I need to have a word with you." Hermione said before he could say anything. She spared a scornful glance at the two large heaps of lard that flanked him as usual. "Alone."

Malfoy smirked.

"Very well, Granger," he said. "Lead the way."

She walked ahead of him, both hers hands clasped into fists.

Finally she led him into an unused classroom, Crabbe and Goyle loitered around the outside of the door the door until Hermione finally muttered a spell and shut it. Then she turned to Malfoy accusingly.

"Do they follow you everywhere?" she demanded.

"Well, Granger, some of us having adoring fans that kiss the very ground that we walk upon." he said. "I would have thought you were perfectly aware of this, seeing as how you fall under that category for Potter."

Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"But all of that aside," he quickly added before she could say anything. "Hello, lover."

She slapped him.

"I am not your lover."

Malfoy's head had barely snapped to the side as Hermione hit him.

"Well, Granger, I never thought you were one who preferred to be called fuck toy-"

Hermione sent him a warning glance.

"I know, I know, enough of this small talk." he paused and spared her a smirk. "Shall I dim the lights?"

This time Hermione lost the frail hold she had on her temper. She whipped out her wand and pointed it at his chin.

"I swear to Merlin, Draco Malfoy!" she yelled. "You are the most arrogant, chauvinistic prat I have ever met in my LIFE! Now if you would stop being such a horrid, puffed up ferret then you will- WHAT ARE YOU SMIRKING AT?"

Malfoy was smirking, and as soon as she called him on to it, he turned grave and emotionless.

"Your temper, Granger, is a weapon." his said lowly. "If you loose it, you give you enemy the upper hand."

And with that, Hermione found that the wand she thought she held in her hand, pointing to Malfoy's chin, was now held in Malfoy's hand.

"Give me back my wand, Malfoy, or I will-"

"Do what?" he asked, he smirked and raised his eyebrows. She scowled at him. "Scowl at me?" (She stopped scowling, began glaring.) he rolled his eyes, handing her back what she wanted so badly. "Take it back, mudblood; I am not threatened by you."

Hermione snatched her wand back and glared at him.

"This is serious." she said.

"Well, I do hope so, however take into account that you dragged me off to some deserted class room and then proceed to yell at me for no particular reason. So I can't be sure." he said crossing his arms in front of him. "Now, is there really a purpose to this meeting or am I wasting my time?"

She cocked her head to the side and peered at him for a second, he looked serious.

Deadly serious.

"I'm pregnant."

Draco burst out laughing.

Hermione's eyes widened in infuriation.

"Oh, Merlin-" he panted wiping moisture from his eyes. "Fuck. Very well, Granger, you got my attention, now what is it you want?"

She stared at him incredulously.

"That." she stated simply. "That was it."

Had Hermione been in possession of a camera at the very moment she would have used it. He stopped laughing immediately. The little colour in his face drained out of it and his mouth fell open. He closed it after a while, but it fell open again. It was obvious that he was scrambling for something to say. For the very first time since he could remember, she had rendered him utterly speechless.

"Merlin, I've rendered Draco Malfoy speechless." she said rolling her eyes. "If I'd known getting you to shut up would be this easy I would have gotten knocked up a lot earlier."

"It's too much to hope that the child would be Weasel's?"

Hermione shook her head. She was very sure the child wasn't Ron's. She hadn't so much as spoken with him since Christmas, for two weeks now he had been trying to win her over, trying to find out exactly why she was so angry with him, but she refused to talk with even Ginny or Harry about the subject. She was rather proud that her face had not faltered out of its determined expression given her troubled thoughts. Thankfully, Malfoy didn't go further into the topic of Ron.

"Fuck." he muttered.

Hermione nodded.

"That," she said. "Basically sums up our situation and how we got to it."

"Do you-"

"I don't know anything yet." she interrupted. "Not the gender or whatever, so before you ask and stupid questions, I'll answer them for you. Its not as if I can just go to Madame Pomfrey and get myself checked."

"You have to do something, Granger." Malfoy bit out.

"I don't take orders from you." she snapped. "And besides what do I do, Malfoy? Hmm? Any ideas?"

Malfoy shook his head.

"I think you mean what do we do." he said stonily.

Hermione shook her head.

"Oh no." she said. "This I do alone, I don't need you messing around with it. The LAST thing I want is another little scowling prat."

"You can't do this alone, mudblood." Malfoy growled. "Besides, I'll de damned if I let you raise any child of mine to be a bleeding heart Gryffindor."

They glared at each other, but neither would back down.

At the exact same time they realized something. Unfortunately they were in this together, and they were just going to have to adjust accordingly.

"Are you a Deatheater?" she demanded suddenly.

Malfoy was caught of guard.

"No." he answered truthfully.

She stared at him. He rolled his eyes and bared his unblemished forearm to her, and then he arched his eyebrows as if to ask if it sufficed. After a moment of studying his pale flesh Hermione nodded.

"Are you going to become one?"

He arched an eyebrow. These questions were become incredibly personal. He very nearly sighed. It wasn't as if he had plans to follow in the Malfoy's family tradition, but he did not appreciate being questioned about it, especially by Hermione Granger using the tone that she was currently using.

"Well, certainly not now." he said rolling his sleeve back down. "That would endanger you."

He paused noticed that she had raised her eyebrows in disbelief, he then realized just how that sounded.

"And that baby that you are carrying." he added rather belatedly. "I may do a lot of things that you may find unsavory, Granger, butI do not run from my responsibilities."

"We're in this together, Malfoy." Hermione snapped.

Malfoy nodded slowly, deliberately.

"Fuck."